What we're going for here is trying to emulate
sleep arrangements as if we were at home.
Ideally, to follow this method, you should let your child guide the co
sleeping arrangement as much as possible and understand that your little one will be ready for his or her own «big kid bed» when the time is right.
If another baby is on the way, get started transitioning
your sleeping arrangements as soon as possible.
If you're only going to be trying co sleeping for a little while, a co sleeping travel cot may also be a great solution for your at - home
sleeping arrangements as well.
You can adjust this crib in
any sleep arrangement as your child grows.
This is a great option for anyone looking for an at - home co
sleeping arrangement as well since you can put it together and leave it in position for napping at all times rather than using it as a playpen if you choose.
Rather than assuming that sleeping arrangement produces a particular «type» person it is probably more accurate to think of
sleeping arrangements as part of a larger system of affection and that it is altogether this larger system of attachment relationships, interacting with the child's own special characteristics that produces adult characteristics.
Not exact matches
As your child gets older, you may start introducing these items to his or her
sleeping arrangement.
Although some people may believe that co
sleeping can contribute to the risk of SIDS,
as long
as you practice it safely and pay close attention to any risk factors that may be present in your room or
sleeping arrangement, co
sleeping may actually help reduce this chance significantly.
While you should already have one in place
as it is, when it comes time to transition your child to a separate
sleeping arrangement, you'll need to be sure you've got a solid routine that will not be changing.
In addition to
sleeping arrangements, much of the other furniture and storage organizers that you'd buy for babies can be shared, such
as dressers and bureaus.
These will continue to help you provide a safe
sleeping environment for your little one for
as long
as you continue the co
sleeping arrangements.
Consider your private time with your partner now,
as well, and decide if it's time to start moving toward separate
sleeping arrangements with your child.
Check out the Snuggle Me Organic Original Co-
Sleeping Baby Bed and see for yourself why parents and caregivers continue to order this great product
as part of their co
sleeping arrangements!
As your child ages, his or her
sleeping arrangement needs may change.
Make sure your child is taking naps in his or her own room and separate bed
as well, and you'll be able to establish a healthy
sleeping arrangement in no time.
Sleeping arrangement alone can not be a determinant on whether co-
sleeping can develop dependence
as your child grows according to Mother - Baby Behavioral
Sleep Laboratory.
But
as you experiment with
sleep arrangements that work best for both of you, the essential tools for relationship success apply: cooperation and communication.
The way I see our
sleeping arrangement is that our daughter will gradually become more comfortable
sleeping away from her parents, but that it is our job to encourage her trust in her parents
as well
as her own self - confidence by staying with her through the night, reassuring her that we are there for her no matter what.
Unlike cribs, bassinets offer you the ability to be versatile with your
sleeping arrangements,
as since they are small in design they are typically portable and perfect for setting up next to your bedside.
But
as you experiment with
sleep arrangements that work best for both of you, the essential tools for relationship success apply:
This cute white crib with gray trim has a unique color combination that you won't find in just any crib on the market, and like many of the best convertible cribs out there, you can use it
as a toddler bed, daybed, and full bed
as well when the time comes for your little one to make a change in his or her
sleeping arrangements.
Use this bed
as a crib, a toddler bed, a daybed, or a full bed using the included headboard and footboard, and don't forget to adjust the mattress to the proper height for your child and for your co
sleeping arrangement, too.
This stylish bed looks great in any co
sleeping room and is sure to look wonderful
as the centerpiece in your nursery or child's room when your little one is ready for his or her own separate
sleeping arrangements, too.
And in one of our research papers having asked routinely bedsharing mothers and routine solitary
sleeping mothers, after a night of
sleeping as they usually do at home 84 % of bedsharing mothers said that had «good» or «enough»
sleep while only 64 % of the solitary
sleeping moms said that had «good» or «enough»
sleep, following an evening in which they practiced their home routine
sleeping arrangement.
These issues include the safety of different
sleep environments
as well
as the physiological and / or psychological consequences of the choice of
sleeping arrangements parents make.
And the assumption by pediatric
sleep researchers that there is one ideal
sleeping arrangement for all, or that cosleeping is harmful and detrimental or that infants need to «consolidate their
sleep as soon in life
as is possible» is not only fallacious but harmful and it explains why western parents are the most exhausted, disappointed least satisfied, (yet, most educated and well read), I am convinced, than any other parents on the planet,
as regards their infant's
sleep.
Some safety issues are known, so certainly they should be followed
as I have outlined in answering many of these questions But what any infants
sleep location socially or psychologically means to parents is very powerful and it affects the overall safety and satisfaction that different families have to the same
sleeping arrangement and environment.
I think that
as parents we should find the
sleeping arrangement that works best for our family.
I decided we needed to change our
sleep arrangements and create
as safe a bed sharing environment that I could.
These are only recommended
as a temporary
sleeping arrangement, I think because the bottom isn't really firm enough for a baby to
sleep on comfortably.
Just
as with most parenting issues, finding the right
sleep arrangement for your baby and your family can be a bit of trial and error.
Safe
sleep sharing for infants does not * look * the same
as typical Western
sleeping arrangements for adults.
Further, it has been shown that in the majority of cases where a child was apparently suffocated, some abnormal
sleeping arrangement was present, such
as too many people in too small a bed, parents under the influence of
sleep - altering drugs or alcohol, or unsafe
sleeping surfaces such
as couches or bean bags.
While you should, of course, make this decision based on your child's needs above your own, it's normal to wonder what benefits you
as a parent can get from this unique
sleeping arrangement.
GET SUPPORT, WAIT
AS LONG
AS POSSIBLE BEFORE RETURNING TO WORK AND FIND THE
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENT THAT WORKS FOR YOU TO GET MORE
SLEEP - WHETHER IT»S CO-
SLEEPING, BED - SHARING, OR YOUR BABY
SLEEPING IN THEIR OWN ROOM.
For those are unconvinced about the child's safety in an
arrangement of co
sleeping, it is suggested that a device such
as a cot or bassinet attached to the parental bed or infant enclosures to be placed in the bed etc. be used.
Your child will be okay
as they learn to adapt to the new
sleeping arrangement.
Sage Parenting: Where Nature Meets Nurture is similar to What to Expect When You're Expecting in that it documents the course of events beginning with pregnancy and covers topics such
as sleeping arrangement and breastfeeding, but the author ventures into topics that mainstream authors dare not go such
as mother guilt, bed - sharing, discipline and attachment.
As a pediatric
sleep consultant, I see plenty of people for whom that
arrangement is painfully not working.
I would have never anticipated this
arrangement, although
as a child I
slept on and off in my parents» bed until I was 7.
Here are some things to think about
as you figure out the right and most comfortable
sleep - enhancing
arrangement for both you and your child.
«All the seemingly divisive decisions — pain meds in labor / newborn
sleep arrangements / feeding — are often phrased
as moral imperatives from both sides.
As you attempt to help your child move into a new
sleeping arrangement, try putting them in the crib in small increments.
As a family we have also made some other
arrangements for our
sleep space safety.
And
as a toddler, it may take a week or two, but your child will still soon forget that he or she ever had any other
sleeping arrangement options.
If either of you become uncomfortable with the
sleeping arrangements, it's time to stop co
sleeping then
as well.
Deciding when to stop co
sleeping is a personal matter and you should consider your own needs
as well
as those of your baby and your partner in order to determine when the time is right to call it quits on this
arrangement.
There is evidence that this
arrangement decreases the risk of SIDS by
as much
as 50 % 64,66,142,143 and is safer than bed - sharing64, 66,142,143 or solitary
sleeping (when the infant is in a separate room).53, 64 In addition, this
arrangement is most likely to prevent suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment, which may occur when the infant is
sleeping in the adult bed.
Cosleeping is when parent and infant
sleep in close proximity (on the same surface or different surfaces) so
as to be able to see, hear, and / or touch each other.139, 140 Cosleeping
arrangements can include bed - sharing or
sleeping in the same room in close proximity.140, 141 Bed - sharing refers to a specific type of cosleeping when the infant is
sleeping on the same surface with another person.140 Because the term cosleeping can be misconstrued and does not precisely describe
sleep arrangements, the AAP recommends use of the terms «room - sharing» and «bed - sharing.»